The art of a Shinobi- Deidara's backstory
by Jeansplaining
Summary: My original plan was to write various alternative backstories to every Akatsuki member. This was originally an Itachi story, but then i thought about inserting Deidara there and then here we are. English isn't my first language, so i hope this info won't make you cringe too much while reading it.


"This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war." All quiet in the western front.

Stone village-

The Young blond artist finally finished his sculpture he had been working for months, he contemplate his work that would last forever; since he bought- with all of his Chunin monthly wage- an expensive stone that have an extraordinary durability.

\- It's over?

Asked the model, visibly tired of posing for his boyfriend's sculpture for so long.

\- It's over. Said Deidara smiling.

Chiyo contemplated the work. "perfect" mumbled her. All she knew about art was what Deidara told her, but even then, she didn't understood all the meticulous talk about how to carefully craft a sculpture. Meanwhile Deidara was looking interrogative to the sculpture.

\- Something wrong?

Deidara replied:

\- No, It's perfect; but I keep thinking something is missing…

\- I think you're exhausted, relax, take your mind out of the work.

Deidara looked suspicious

\- You're only saying that because you don't want to pose anymore.

\- N…No

Deidara smiled and confessed he was just messing with her. Before Chiyo could respond him, a knock in the door interrupted them; it was a shinobi with a cold expression:

\- Our Kage requires both of you immediately, you're already late

The elders of the village, with the Kage in the middle, received them. Together with Chiyo and Deidara, three shinobis entered in the room; they kneeled before the Tsuchikage awaiting orders.

\- Deidara, rank: Chunnin, register: 237776 Mission completed: 2 S, 3 A, 4 B…. Currently you're assigned in ANBU special demolition team. Was. After carefully examination by the recommendation given by the Jounin Chiyo, we promote you to Jounin!

\- I'm grateful Kage-sama, with your permission….

\- Wait, I'm not done with you yet. Since Shoya isn't able to perform missions for a while- Deidara raised an eyebrow- I've no other choice then to assign you for the executioner team. That's why I called everyone today. A Jounin from the Cipher division- He show the image of their target- defected from our village, he is currently under witness protection in the Rain Village, there he intend to sell critical intel with Konoha. So he thinks- The Kage grinned- Inside Amegakure we have a sleep agent willing to help us retrieve the scroll. This is an S-rank mission; the code cannot fall in enemy hands!

The executioner team, the elite assassin group composed of five Jounins, would be deployed in two days. The squad was composed by: Kayaba (The leader), his right hand Obuyushi (the gigantic executioner), Muraoka (The Genjutsu specialist), Chiyo (The tracker/assassin) and Deidara (The bombing specialist).

In the eve of the mission, the old Jounin from Deidara's squad, invited him to talk.

\- It's a shame Chiyo isn't feeling well this morning, I wanted to reunite all the old team…

Deidara felt nostalgic, his memoirs of his early days as a Genin seemed to be so long ago. He remembered the useless rank-D missions, and how he and Shoya would complain to the Sensei; in the hope they could do a higher ranked quest. The curiosity cut the nostalgia, he asked in a grave tone:

\- What happened to Shoya?

The teacher made a mixture of a sad and disgusted expression.

\- He isn't well… After the campaign in Sunagakure, he started to act weirdly, one day he disappeared, we could only find him a week later, wasted in the street in an another village inside our country. Since then he is…. Off…. Damn coward- He pointed at the eastern mountain, dedicated to every Shinobi who heroically died in the name of the village- the foundation rock of our village is the Shinobi willing to sacrifice for the Kage! Does he know how many ninjas desire to be in his position? He dishonors their memory!

Deidara didn't payed too much attention to the monologue, he was shocked. How could the energic Shoya, that dreamed of becoming a Kage, that was always ready to prove his courage, that survived sketchy situations over and over again with his "stone-determination", could fall in this dreadfull situation?

Rain Village-

\- It's impossible to penetrate the building. They have 30 Chunnins covering every corner, there is no blind spot to infiltrate. Maybe we should focus on intercepting the Konoha's courier and retrieve at least the scroll.

Chiyo's relatory was troublesome, Kayaba, the Jounin leader of the executioner team denied the request, claiming that keeping the deserter alive wouldn't end the crisis. He nodded to their double agent.

\- What do you think? Daruya?

The white haired Jounin left the shadows and sit with them in the table

\- There will be a window of opportunity at 5 o' clock. Some of the guards are just mere Gennin, at this time, the squad I'm training will be there, we could use this at our advantage.

\- They are loyal to the village?

\- Of course, they are only kids cleaning the place.

Kayaba looked down and lost himself in his thoughts. Deidara break the silence.

\- I've an idea- he put down in the table a clay- this is an explosive that only my clan is able to use- he smashed the clay in tiny bits- We could use the Genins to transport these explosives inside the building, when the time arrives- He simulate with his hands an explosion- Kaboom.

They agreed to follow this plan, with the explosion, the defences would be obliterated, making easy to make contact with the deserter. Daruya called her Genin squad to her home to put the operation in motion.

15 minutes later one of the kids was calling her.

\- Daruya sensei!

Deidara followed the Rain ninja that opened the door.

\- It's raining outside, why don't you come inside?

The soacked Gennins stormed into the home, Daruya stopped them.

\- Where are your manners? Don't enter my house with your shoes!

The kids stopped, apologized, and took their wet coat and shoes to get in.

\- Sensei, who is this blonde guy?

Asked the blushy girl of the squad. Daruya replied with a smile:

\- Oh him, he is just the laundry boy.

Deidara didn't liked the commentary. After the kids entered in the room he started his job, he knew the guards would check the body before they could enter the facility, so he picked their shoe sole and filled those small divides with explosive clays. His partner, Muraoka, used a genjutsu to make the explosive less visible to delay any possibility for the guards to note something wrong.

In the visit room, Daruya carried five cups of tea to the table. Chiyo was with them, pretending to be an old friend of the Rain Jounin. The kids started to complain about how annoying was to fulfill the meticulous cleaning requirement of that nervous old man.

\- It's a mission from Hanzo-sama! If you work hard in this mission I'll teach a new jutsu.

The kids suddenly got excited.

\- Really!?

\- It's a promise. Said Daruya smiling.

Chiyo remembered her old days as a Genin, the good old days, when everything was simple and peaceful. She couldn't help but feel sad for them. The energetic kids left the home. Daruya read the expressions at Chiyo's face and said:

\- You must think I'm some kind of a monster… Soon or later they would need to learn the harsh truth that Shinobi is nothing more than a tool- She made a bitter expression- I refuse that, I refuse to live as a tool for Hanzo's ambitions; I shall control my own destiny!

The cold, determined expression of Daruya gave Chiyo chills.

\- It's time. I will delay the messenger from konoha while you eliminate that Jounin of your village- She lend a map that led to a hideout for their escape- As promised, send my money to the Grass hidden village bank, I guess this is a goodbye.

Chiyo saw Deidara waiting at the door.

\- You look sad…

\- Deidara, I've to tell you something…

\- Later- interrupted Kayaba- Those hopeless Genin are moving inside the building, we can't lose this opportunity.

They move close to the building, just waiting the best time to attack. However, the lone Konoha Anbu appeared before the expected.

\- Fuck! Chiyo, rendezvous with Daruya at the hideout!

The Anbu jumped right to the third floor to claim the scroll, Kayaba hold his nerves and waited to his team better prepare to the assault.

\- Now!

\- Katsu!

Three ninjas of the team advanced against the building while Deidara get behind to act as reserve. The action was quick and chaotic. He saw some badly hurt Chunnins screaming for reinforces, without hesitation he threw kunais at them, hoping this would give would buy them more time. No avail, in instants several Chunnins from the village were popping up.

\- Earth style! Stone wall.

One Shinobi was gullible enough to climb that wall, Deidara quickly disposed him with a shuriken. But his situation was bad, Four Chunnins came from behind, he fend them of as best as he could, however they were more experienced Shinobi, they were slowly cutting him off. More ninjas were coming to the battle.

He was told to kill himself in case the chances of being captured by the enemy was certain. "This is it", he put a clay on his mouth and prepared to blow before it was too late; the Chunnins step back, afraid it was some enemy jutsu.

Kunais flew against those chunnins, When they fell, Deidara saw many of the Rain Shinobi disappearing. "genjutsu?"

\- Do you want to die? Let's get out.

Deidara spit the clay in the ground and reunited with his team.

Five minutes later:

The explosion made every ninja in the village alert, they were installing a curfew, she had to carefully and slowly sneak through the cautious ninjas to arrive in the hideout. She entered in the bunker quietly, there was a lake used by contrabandists in the saloon that if you dive and cancel the genjutsu in it, you would noticed that it led to the Villlage's external moat. As she was walking in the stairs, she saw Daruya, laying down lifeless in the ground, next to her was that Konoha's ANBU. Some crows entered the building, one of them was carrying the scroll. "They failed?" Chiyo thought. She used the invisibility jutsu and approached that Ninja, she had done this multiple times, but now it was different, she was feeling…. Afraid? She controlled her nerves and kept going. The ANBU looked right at her and said:

\- Give up, I can sense your hesitation from miles.

"Impossible, how did he see through my jutsu?"

She saw red eyes beneath the ANBU mask.

\- You're a member of that famous Uchiha clan that everyone keeps talking about.

She started to sweat, in the past Chiyo wouldn't hesitate to risk her life in a deadly battle for the village. But a thought kept nagging her, "I can't die, not now". The enemy moved calmly towards her.

\- Don't approach me!

Something stopped the ANBU ninja, he turned around and jumped to the lake. She cursed herself for not acting, seconds later her team arrived at the hideout.

\- Goddammit, why didn't you stopped him, now the enemy got away…

\- It's a Jounin Uchiha, the instant I gaze his cursed eyes I had already lost.

Muraoka, the Genjutsu specialist of the squad, made a check up to identify if the enemy put some jutsu on her.

\- Everything seems ok.

Kayaba was still mad with Chiyo for the previous mistakes. To change the subject, she asked:

\- The desertor is dead?

\- Yes, we infiltrated the building and killed that cunt, but that ANBU was fast, he used crows to retrieve the scroll and get out of there. Now the situation changed, we need to intercept that messenger, if the intel falls into Konoha's hands, they will have an upper hand against our village.

In short time they prepared for the hunt; they resupplied their arsenal and made plans to catch that ANBU ninja.

\- Chiyo, your track abilities is the best among us. You will be our guide, when you find that Uchiha guy, your mission is to delay him, so we can arrive and kill. Don't let us down again…

Deidara and the gigantic stone ninja called Obuyushi were collecting samples of Daruya's blood, so they could study later what kind of drugs Rain village uses to enhance their fighting capabilities (fighting, poison immunity and endurance). Chiyo approached both and told she needed to talk with Deidara alone. Obuyushi left.

\- How do I tell this… I am pregnant…

No one can tell what passed in Deidara's head in that moment, early, he was ready to kill himself in order to prevent being captured by the vindictive Rain Shinobis, but now he suddenly felt happy, grateful for being alive. Until now he didn't know what he was looking in his life…

\- That's great! We could ask the Kage to leave this team, I'll ask to become a squad teacher, and then…. And then.

He was so excited he couldn't articulate his plans for the future, so they just ended hugging each other. Kayaba scold them, telling they weren't in a date and should focus on completing the mission.

As planned, Chiyo went first and minutes later they started the hunt. Heavy rain made very difficult to cross the countryside, but they could find Chiyo's signs leading the way.

\- This path…. If the Konoha ANBU guy keeps following this way he will end up at the end valley. (Kayaba)

\- Perfect place to an Uchiha to die! (Obuyushi)

At some point they saw a men standing up motionless. "tsc, this will delay us".

\- Who are you?

The man seemed lifeless, Kayaba got nervous and entered in a defensive position.

\- Impossible! You should be dead!

\- Who is he?

Kayaba got serious.

\- He is the Third Kazekage, in the past he was known as one of the strongest man, one day he mysteriously disappeared from his village. If he is really him, we're in deep trouble.

The Kazekage started the attack; he seemed to fly as he charged against the confused Stone ninja squad.

\- Obuyushi! You know what to do, Deidara! Use smoke!

Deidara throw smoke bombs in the ground, Kayaba bit his finger and summoned a mole. The battle was intense, they had little time to react against the endless arsenal of the Kage. But finally Kayaba's set up worked, he lure the enemy to descend to the ground with an earth style attack, right after the Kazekage landed, His summoned mole grab the feet, locking him. To conclude the attack, Obuyushi, that used a bunshin to trick the adversary, came from the ground, wielding his powerfull axe to demolish the Kage.

However, before he could end the battle, what it appeared to be a snake, intercepted Obuyushi, killing him on the spot. The source of this attack left his position, Kayaba recognize him:

\- Orochimaru? Why would a criminal would be helping his former village?

\- Fufufufu, that shinobi is in a meeting now, I can't let you disturb it.

\- Don't mess with us! Earth style….

\- What a waste of time…

An iron sand suddenly trapped everyone.

\- What is that?

Orochimaru explained:

\- This is the Iron sand, masterpiece of the former Kazekage. His early attacks were just a distraction to carefully drop sand in the battlefield, the heavy rain helped in the diversion.

The sand started to squeeze the squad, Deidara felt his body being crushed.

\- Sand funeral!

Deidara escaped in the last moment with his substation no jutsu. He hide the best as he could while waiting for an opening. He heard various voices chatting, "tsc, enemy reinforcements, a feminine voice telling the enemy that the meeting was over. They all left right after that. He look for his comrades, none of them could escape the attack, he was alone.

His next step as finding Chiyo, Deidara followed his signs until he find her. Her eyes were wide open with a shocked expression; a sword had perforated her stomach.

Aftermatch:

In the next days, Hanzo made an incendiary speech condemning, Stone's village aggression, promising using all his military might to punish the aggressors. In the other hand, the Tsuchikage made a modest funeral, praising the four Jounins for sacrificing their lives in the name of the village. "May their deaths not be in vain, but an example of the duty of a shinobi".

The tensions between Rain village, Konoha and Stone village escalated; a false flag attack made by Konoha ANBU in a small village inside Amegakure sparked a bloody conflict. This conflict fell in obscurity in comparison with the third and fourth ninja war, but was memorable enough for those who fight on it. By the end of the war, Deidara was the sole survivor from his old graduation team; he barely knew his new comrades. But one thing he could always recognize, the old Tsuchikage, the symbol of the Village's durability against the march of time. No. Nothing in life is durable, only the humanity hatred against itself. Villages are now preoccupied in adding Bijuus in their arsenal, Chunnins exams are made between countries, pretending to be a peaceful exchange, but the real intention of bragging about their might; one day all the countries will meet their end, by their own ambitions.

One day before his desertion of the village, he blew up the sculpture; "art is an explosion", he repeated to himself, looking to the shambles on the ground. The forbidden jutsu he stole from his village perfected his art; Villages, Shinobis and countries, Deidara painted them in blood. For years he live like that, pursuing "the true form of art". Until he met again with two men that ruined his life, Itachi and Sasori...


End file.
